Hand-guillotine for fowls



Patented Sept. |3, l898.

J. H. STEVENSON.

HAND GUILLOTINE FOR FOWLS.

(Application filed Feb. 6, 1897.)

(N0 Mqdel.)

Nr'rnn TATES FFICEt ATENT HAND-GUILLOTINE FOR FOWLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 610,591, datedSeptember 13, 1898.

Application filed February 6, 1897- Serial No. 622,308. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. STEVENSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHand-Guillotines for Fowls; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

The object of my invention is to provide a hand-guillotine for fowlswhich may be easily manipulated by one hand of the operator after beingset, leaving the other hand free to hold the fowl in the desiredposition.

With this object in view the invention consists of the several detailsof construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter fullydescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved guillotine,showing the knife retracted ready for use. Fig. 2 is a similar viewshowing the knife in its inoperative po sition. Fig. 3 is an enlargedView of the finger hold used in drawing back the knife.

Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of the lockingstrap for holding the knifein its retracted position. Fig. 6 is a modification of thelocking-strap.

Similar reference -letters indicate similar parts in the severalfigures.

Arepresents the main orbase plate,redt1ced at its rear end to form ahandle A. This plate is provided with an aperture A near its front endof sufficient size to permit the passage of the head of a fowltherethrough. It is also provided with a smaller aperture a near thejunction of the handle and the main portion of the base-plate for apurpose hereinafter referred to. The side edges of the main portion ofthe plate A are folded over to form ways I), and the front edge isfolded over to form a stop 0. V

D represents the knife, supported to slide on the plate A in the waysI), and preferably the cutting edge will be oblique, as shown in Figs. 1and 2.

D is a finger-hold secured to the blade near its rear edge, and O is aspiral spring secured at one end to the fingerhold and at its other endto the front edge of the plate A.

A locking-strap d is secured to the rear portion of the knife, as at cl,and projects beyond its rear edge. This strap is provided with alocking-shoulder on its under side, which is adapted to be engaged withthe front edge of the opening a when the knife is in its retractedposition, as in Fig. l. The shoulder may be formed by providing thestrap with a lug (i as shown in Figs. 4: and 5, or a recess may be madein the strap, as indicated by d in Fig. 6.

The operation is as follows: The operator will grasp the handle with onehand and the finger-hold with a finger of the other hand and retract theknife against the force of the spring until the shoulder on the strapengages the front edge of the opening Ct. The operator can then press onthe strap with the thumb of the hand grasping the handle and hold itagainst accidental release. The other hand will then be free to graspthe fowl to insert its head through the aperture A When the head is inthe desired position, the pressure of the thumb can be released from thestrap d and one of the fingers be caused to press against the under sideof the strap through the opening 0. until it is released, when thespring will propel the knife forward with sufficient force to decapitatethe fowl.

Having described the invention, I claim-- A hand-guillotine for fowls,comprising a plate having a handle at its rear end, its side edgesfolded over to form ways, and a stop at its front end, said plate havingalso an ap- 9o erture near its front end through which the head of afowl may be passed, and another opening near its handle, a knifesupported on the plate to slide in said ways, a finger-hold secured tothe knife,a spiral spring connected at one end to the knife and at itsother end to the front end of the plate, and a shouldered strap securedto the knife and projecting be yond its rear edge, the shoulder on thestrap limit the forward movement of the knife, subbeing adapted toengage the front edge of the stantially as described. IO said opening inthe plate near its handle and In testimony whereof I affiX my signaturehold the knife against the force of the spring, in presence of twowitnesses.

the engagement of said shoulder with the JOHN H. STEVENSON.

edge of the opening being controlled by the Witnesses: thumb and fingerof the operators hand which ANDREW HOPKINS, grasps the handle, and thestop serving to SAMUEL A. BARR.

